Design Thinking
representations
M4 and M5
Mind Map
• Mind maps are the most simplistic, and thus straightforward type of cognitive maps.
• They have a clear hierarchy and format, and they are relatively quick to create and
consume.
• Mind map is a tree that represents a central topic and its subtopics.
Characteristics
• Clear organization and structure. Mind maps are restricted to tree structures. They have
clear, directed flows outward from the tree root to its leaves.
• One central topic. In mind maps, all nodes (except the tree root) have only one parent
node. Each node can have children corresponding to that concept’s subtopics. Every
concept in a mind map can be traced directly back to the root topic.
• No definition of relationships. There is no distinction between different types of relationships
among nodes — all the edges in the tree are represented in the same way and are
unlabeled.
Eg: Mind map of an account in
ecommerce
Eg: Mind map of a business
organization
Affinity Map
• Refers to organizing related observations, ideas, concepts, or
findings into distinct clusters.
• Successful affinity diagramming during a workshop can lead
to team alignment, robust design ideas, and a set of next
steps to move forward in a project or strategy.
• used by individuals or groups to quickly organize:
• Observations or ideas from research
• Concepts that surface in design-ideation sessions
• Ideas about UX strategy and vision
1.Generate ideas as sticky notes. In 2. Organize notes into clusters or
this step, team members or workshop themes. After all sticky notes are posted, the
participants write ideas on separate team sorts them into groups. Take a step back
sticky notes. The goal is to get ideas and get an idea of the big picture emerging
quickly out in the open, so don’t
spend too much time over-analyzing. 3. Prioritize clusters and next
steps. Once each theme is identified, direct
the team on where to focus next by
prioritizing the most important items. Look for
Empathy Map
A tool used to articulate what we know about a particular type of user. It externalizes user
knowledge in order to
1) create a shared understanding, and 2) aid in decision making.
Characteristics:
• The map is split into 4 quadrants: Says, Thinks, Feels, Does.
• It shows user’s perspective regarding the tasks related to the product.
• It is not chronological or sequential.
• There is one empathy map for each persona or user type (1:1 mapping).
Why use it: 1) To build empathy for your users 2) To force alignment and understanding
about a user type
When to use it: 1) Beginning of any design process 2) When categorizing research notes
from a user interview
Journey Map
• A journey map is a visualization of the
process that a person goes through in
order to accomplish a goal.
• Person is a user/customer
5 key elements
1. Actor: user who experiences the journey.
2. Scenario + Expectations: situation that the journey map addresses and
is associated with an actor’s goal
3. Journey Phases: different high-level stages in the journey
4. Actions, Mindsets, and Emotions: behaviours, thoughts, and feelings
the actor has throughout the journey and that are mapped within each of the
journey phases.
5. Opportunities: insights gained from mapping; they speak to how the
Journey map
1. Actor: user who
experiences the journey.
2. Scenario + Expectations:
situation that the journey map
addresses and is associated
with an actor’s goal
3. Journey Phases: different
high-level stages in the
journey
4. Actions, Mindsets, and
Emotions: behaviours,
thoughts, and feelings the
actor has throughout the
journey and that are mapped
within each of the journey
phases.
5. Opportunities: insights
